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Wake’s Reynolds looking for big senior year

By WTOP Staff

JOEDY McCREARY
AP Sports Writer

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Ever since he showed up at Wake Forest, seemingly everyone has been waiting for Orville Reynolds to reach his potential.

Especially Orville Reynolds.

Now back at his natural position of running back, the 5-foot-9 senior has one last chance to live up to the big-play reputation that created buzz before his 2011 arrival.

His redshirt was burned late in his freshman season, and he dabbled at receiver during mostly two years of spot duty.

Now he’s hoping to make the most of his only season under new coach Dave Clawson.

The native of Coral Springs, Florida, says “it couldn’t have been a better time for everything to work out.”

Reynolds is hoping for a fresh start under Clawson, who came in from Bowling Green and took over last December when Jim Grobe stepped down after 13 seasons.

The new coach has brought a conditioning-first mindset and Reynolds says it didn’t take long during this offseason to see its effects.

“Since I’ve been here, this has definitely been one of the hardest offseasons — the first time we’ve had the entire team,” Reynolds said. “I feel like we run every couple of hours. … If you’d asked us six months ago, (I’d have said) ‘It’s like you’re trying to kill us.’ Everything I can tell, they’ve got a program set up and it’s definitely going in the right direction.”

The Demon Deacons hope Reynolds can help propel them toward their first winning season since 2008.

He arrived in 2011 out of Florida’s Stoneman Douglas High School with significant fanfare: Before one of Reynolds’ first practices that preseason, Grobe made a point of telling reporters to keep an eye on him.

The plan was to redshirt him, as Wake Forest did with virtually each of Grobe’s incoming freshmen, but he was pressed into duty for a visit from Notre Dame on Nov. 5 — the ninth game that season.

“At the time, I had just turned 18, so I was just excited,” Reynolds said. “My first play, being out there, they had the (overhead) cameras strapped to the poles. … It was like, ‘Wow, this is what we dreamed of.’ It didn’t even matter to me that it was in the middle of the season.. I just wanted to play. And even now when I look back on it, everything happened for a reason.”

Reynolds, the only freshman to play for the Demon Deacons that season, finished with 28 carries for 123 yards as a backup over the final five games and added four receptions for 25 yards.

Reynolds added five carries for minus-6 yards and two catches for minus-4 yards as a sophomore splitting time at running back and slot receiver. He worked mostly in the slot in 2013, catching 12 passes for 166 yards with two touchdowns and adding nine rushes for 40 yards.

But the offense last year was centered around three seniors — quarterback Tanner Price, slot receiver Mike Campanaro and running back Josh Harris — and the multiple changes to the offensive system prevented any semblance of continuity.

The result was a 4-8 season, a 2-6 Atlantic Coast Conference finish, the resignation of Grobe and the exits of most of his assistants.

Clawson moved Reynolds back to his natural position and now he’s hoping to finally fulfill his potential.

“Everything happened so we can just have a new coaching staff, new plays, new positions,” Reynolds said. “I had to play receiver for a year and a half to take my game to the next level. Whatever road it took, we’re here now. We just have to keep it going.”

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Follow Joedy McCreary on Twitter at http://twitter.com/joedyap

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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